HIPA awarded future-oriented investments at the Investors of the Year award ceremony - VIDEO

During the year 2018, the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA) supported a record number of 98 positive investment decisions resulting in the creation of more than 17,000 new jobs in the upcoming years. Out of the nearly one hundred projects the most significant ones were awarded in eight categories at the Investors of the Year 2018 Award Ceremony. The recognized investors significantly contribute to the development of the national economy by creating new jobs, implementing the latest technologies or extending existing capacities. All the awards were handed over by Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Róbert Ésik, President of HIPA.

Each year at the "Investors of the Year" award ceremony the companies executing the most considerable investments of the previous year are being recognized together with a Hungarian supplier and an industrial park. The Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA), which closed another record breaking year, handed over prizes in eight categories. With the collaboration of HIPA, more than EUR 4,311 million will be invested in Hungary in the upcoming years and 17,024 new jobs are to be created as a result of 98 positive investment decisions.

Electromobility and autonomous driving are the strategic development directions shaping the future of the automotive industry, which in the next decades will define not only the competitiveness of the global companies, but also that of the national economies. These two trends are already visible in Hungary: not only the added value of investments that arrived in our country in 2018 has risen, but also the companies, which produce and develop the technologies of the future were dominating among the awardees at the traditional "Investor of the Year" award ceremony.

2018 was a record year from investment promotion point of view, since it was the first time that we achieved and even surpassed the investment volume of EUR 4 billion. It is also an important result that the share of high value-added projects with research and development focus, as well as technology-intensive investments has increased significantly in 2018

– said Róbert Ésik, President of HIPA.

In addition to promoting investments and re-investments of large companies, HIPA pays particular attention to supporting and developing the supplier role of domestic small and medium enterprises, and also the preparation of investment locations, therefore two categories – "Industrial Park of the Year" and "Supplier of the Year" – specifically serve the recognition of the results of domestic players.

Award winners of 2018

Largest Greenfield InvestmentBMW Manufacturing Hungary Kft.The newest unit of the BMW Group's European plant network to be constructed in the future near Debrecen on a territory of 400 acres − in the framework of a greenfield investment − will be a factory of the 21st century. Due to the flexible production method in the new plant, premium cars equipped with traditional combustion engines, as well as electrified ones could be manufactured on the same production line, namely some 150,000 cars per year. Over 1,000 new workplaces will be created thanks to the investment of EUR 1 billion. The investment contributes to the further growth of the Hungarian economy to a large extent, and it also promotes employment and the development of infrastructure in the region and in Debrecen.

Technology Intensive InvestmentSK Battery Hungary Kft.One of the world's leading Asian battery manufacturers, the South Korean SK Innovation is to launch the series production of battery cells for electric cars as well as the assembly of battery modules and packs with an investment of nearly HUF 100 billion in Komárom from 2020. At the company's first European manufacturing site the first phase of investment will create 410 new workplaces and at the same time the company is planning to have dynamic extension over the upcoming years. With its full capacity later on, the plant in Komárom will be able to provide lithium-ion batteries for 250 thousand electric cars per year.

Company of the Year for Job CreationRobert Bosch Kft.The Engineering Centre in Budapest is becoming an ever more accentuated site of the worldwide developments of Bosch, and it plays an important role in shaping the future, both regarding the development of automated and electric mobility. Development activities at Robert Bosch Kft. started with 5 employees in 2000 and the Engineering Centre in Budapest was established in 2005, which with its more than 2,800 employees is the second largest European development centre of Bosch considering the number of automotive engineers today. The first phase of the latest extension of the Budapest campus, which started last year, is planned to be concluded in 2021 in the framework of a HUF 37 billion investment and will be able to facilitate 1,800 associates. This can also ensure the already familiar pace of development.

Centre of Excellence InvestmentThermo Fisher ScientificThermo Fisher Scientific employing over 75,000 employees worldwide with a yearly USD 20 billion turnover, is the world's leading company dedicated to science. The company's mission is to help their partners in making the world a healthier, cleaner and safer place. The corporation opened its business service centre in Hungary in 2018, supporting the EMEA region in the fields of finance and customer service. The company currently employs 145 people, however dynamic extension is planned for the upcoming years.

Engineering Centre InvestmentJaguar Land RoverLast year, Jaguar Land Rover confirmed its plans to create a technical engineering office in Hungary, opening in 2019. Its engineers in Budapest will work alongside Jaguar Land Rover's supply chain located in Europe to support the launch of vehicles into the company's global manufacturing locations. The office in Budapest joins Jaguar Land Rover's engineering network in the UK, Republic of Ireland, China and North America.

R&D InvestmentAVL AUTÓKUT Mérnöki Kft.AVL is an independent Austrian engineering service supplier and market leader in developing simulation technologies for motor and vehicle tests and propulsion systems. By establishing their new R&D centre in 2019 in Érd, 350 new jobs will be created at mainly high value-added engineering areas in Hungary. The investment of AVL will not only strengthen the market presence of the company, but at the same time will increase the domestic GDP-proportional research and development expenditures.

Industrial Park of the YearIndustrial Park KomáromThe Municipality of Komárom City gained the "Industrial Park" title in 1998, which started to operate in an area of 80 acres. From 2015 the Polish Alumetal, the Swiss Autoneum, the Chinese BYD, and the latest Korean SK Innovation also selected the industrial park as the site of their investment, which has since been extended to 120 acres. The value of these investments exceeds HUF 116 billion and create a total of 1,000 jobs in the city.

Supplier of the YearBálind Kft.The main profile of Bálind Kft., which was founded in 1987, is mid and large volume production of precision metal components and technological design. Their products are used in a wide scope by their customers: automotive industry, aeronautics industry, and besides railway production also in the fiends of machinery, gas industry, construction engineering and industrial automation as well. Their partners include such large companies as e.g. the VW Group, TEKA Group or Knorr-Bremse. Over the recent years they won several new projects thanks to the trainings and business meetings organized by HIPA.